Success for Our Youngest Learners: Embracing the PLC at Work® Process at the Early Childhood Level  (A practical guide for implementing PLCs in early childhood classroom environments)

by Barbara W. Cirigliano

Overview

Put young learners on the path to a great education by embracing the professional learning community (PLC) process. Designed specifically for early childhood educators, this practical resource details the foundational ideas and concepts of a successful PLC. Discover how to build collaborative preK teacher teams, develop a guaranteed and viable curriculum, design meaningful assessment and intervention, and more.

Use this practical guide to implement the PLC at Work® process to provide quality education to young learners during a vital stage of child development:

• Discover how to use the PLC process to specifically cater to the needs of preK students.
• Receive guidance and strategies necessary to build a strong collaborative structure in your school, including for blended classrooms.
• Acquire best practices for organizing teams and making the most of team time.
• Understand how to construct assessment for young students, including those in preschool, kindergarten, and special education.
• Learn how to collect data and provide interventions based on the results.

Contents:
Acknowledgments
Table of Contents
About the Author
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Need for High-Quality Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 2: The Building Blocks of a PLC
Chapter 3: Collaborative Teams in Early Childhood Programs
Chapter 4: A Focus on Learning
Chapter 5: Assessment
Chapter 6: Data and Interventions
Conclusion
References and Resources
Index

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781947604742
Publisher:	Solution Tree Press
Publication date:	07/21/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	5 MB

Table of Contents

About the Author ix

Introduction 1

PLCs and the Importance of Effective Early Childhood Programs 3

The Challenges of Collaboration for Early Childhood Educators 5

About This Book 6

Chapter 1 The Need for High-Quality Early Childhood Programs 9

Outcomes for Students in Early Childhood Programs 10

What Successful Teams in Early Childhood Programs Can Accomplish 14

Chapter 2 The Building Blocks of a PLC 21

The Three Big Ideas of a PLC 22

The Four Critical Questions of a PLC 24

Collective Inquiry 25

Action Research 27

The Four Pillars of a PLC 28

Mission 28

Vision 31

Values 32

Goals 34

How the Pillars Work Together 35

Chapter 3 Collaborative Teams in Early Childhood Programs 37

Types of Teams 38

Grade-Level Teams 38

Vertical Teams 40

Curriculum Teams 41

Leadership Teams 41

Problem-Solving Teams 42

Organizing Teams 43

Specialists on Teams 44

Electronic Teams 45

Collaborative Teams for Early Childhood Educators 47

Making Time for Teams to Meet 50

Focusing on the Right Things 51

Using Team Tools 64

Chapter 4 A Focus on Learning 69

A Shift From Teaching Students to Students Learning 69

The Configurations of Early Childhood Classrooms 72

What Is a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum? 74

The Need for Early Childhood Essential Standards 77

What Do We Want Our Students to Know and Be Able to Do? 78

A Protocol for Determining Essential Standards 80

Step One 81

Step Two 81

Step Three 81

Step Four 82

Step Five 82

How to Pace the Standards 84

Chapter 5 Assessment 87

Why Assess Early Childhood Students? 89

What Do Preschool and Kindergarten Assessments Look Like? 92

Teacher Team-Created Assessments 92

Checklists 94

Anecdotal Notes 95

Rubrics 98

Purchased Early Childhood Assessments 99

Chapter 6 Data and Interventions 103

The Importance of Data 103

How to Look at Data 105

A Protocol for Reviewing Data 107

Gather the Data 107

Analyze the Data 107

Plan a Response to the Data 108

Reflect on the Assessment 109

How to Provide Support Through Interventions 112

Conclusion 119

References and Resources 123

Index 135

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Barbara Cirigliano offers a compelling case for utilizing concepts and practices inherent in the Professional Learning Communities at Work framework for improving the success of our youngest learners. She not only provides foundational information regarding why early childhood educators should embrace the PLC at Work process, she also provides practical, doable advice regarding how to do so. Success for our Youngest Learners is a must-read for those seeking to enhance the effectiveness of early childhood programs.” —Robert Eaker

"Like many early childhood educators, I have been sitting on the sidelines of my school's professional learning community. Barbara Cirigliano has given us a road map for forming and navigating a healthy, effective PLC. I look forward to using her book, Success for our Youngest Learners, with our team of preK teachers. I am inspired!” —Grace Ruddy, preK teacher, Idaho